Wow, the last episode of Neon Genesis Evangelion was one of the most satisfying half hours of television ever. A showcase of strange and bold creative decisions that seamlessly wove the resolution of the show's core emotional arc with a visually engaging multimedia experience that simultaneously made the ending unforgettable and helped them deftly avoid the budgetary problems that plagued the show. How could anyone possibly be anything less than in love with it?

...Wait, what? Everyone hated it, and sent absurd amounts of hate mail to Gainax and Hideaki Anno? The reaction was so incredibly negative that they had to make a movie that completely reworked the ending? Well, that might be good too, I guess...

Wait. It opens with WHAT?

Commentary starts at 12:31 and runs through the end of the episode.